I always think of Memorial Day weekend as the start of summer picnics! When I was growing up our family always spent a day of this weekend with my Grandmother Taylor’s family in Burt, Iowa. We would visit the cemetery where my grandparents were laid to rest and then attend a potluck picnic with grandmother’s sisters and brothers and their families. Good memories! Those same second cousins and I usually meet for a lunch in the summer at a halfway destination. It’s always good to catch up with them. Nowadays we go out for lunch and skip the potluck picnic!

With potluck picnics in mind, I’m going to share a different slant on potato salad: a sweet potato salad. I love sweet potatoes and they are actually better for us than regular white potatoes. Instead of boiling the potatoes, I bake them just until tender. They bake faster than white potatoes so test them after about 30–40 minutes, depending on their size. I pick out the smaller ones so they bake a little faster. I am going to give you the recipe the way it was written so you can cook them the way you want.Sweet Potato Salad:2 pounds sweet potatoes1 1/2 cups mayonnaise2 tsp Dijon mustard1/4 tsp saltpepper, if desired4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped1 1/2 cups celery8 green onions, sliced​Place sweet potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Cover and boil gently until the potatoes can easily be pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 30-40 minutes. Drain. When potatoes have cooled enough to handle, peel and dice. In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, mustard and salt; stir in eggs, celery and onions. Add potatoes, stir gently to mix. Cover and refrigerate 2-4 hours or longer, yield 8-10 servings. My mother-in-law always told me to mix potatoes with the dressing when they are little warm because the potatoes absorb the dressing better that way. I think she was right! I found this recipe in a Taste of Home magazine, Have a great week!

A favorite recipe!I love a Monday morning with a bright sun and clear blue skies! Tomorrow I am headed to Sioux Falls for a few days. My daughter-in-law is out of town on business so I get to take my granddaughters Justice and Avery to school in the morning! I love spending time with them. They are growing up fast. I have been baking some goodies to take with me and to leave at home so Grandpa has some snacks while I am gone.

A beautiful Mother’s Day!The weather was so perfect for Mother’s Day. I spent time with my flowers and cleaned and replenished the oriole feeders. I hear they are in town but not at my feeders yet. I hope our neighborhood orioles made it through the winter and are on their way.

I haven’t made German potato salad for a long time. It’s one of those dishes I don’t make very often, but we enjoy it when I do! I like to use small, round, red potatoes and boil them whole. You can either peel them or not. This recipe comes from my faithful Betty Crocker cookbook, one that I have relied on many times during my married life!Hot German Potato Salad:4 medium round red potatoes or more small ones(about 1 1/3 lbs)3 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces1/2 cup chopped onion1 Tbsp all-purpose flour1 Tbsp sugar1/2 tsp salt1/4 tsp celery seedDash of pepper1/2 cup water1/4 cup white or cider vinegar

Place potatoes in 3-quart saucepan with enough water just to cover. Cover and heat to boiling, reduce heat to low. Cook over low heat, covered, until just fork tender, about 20-30 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes. Drain and let cool enough to handle; peel if desired and slice into 1/4 inch slices. ​Cook bacon over medium heat until crisp; remove bacon (save drippings) drain on paper towels, save. Cook onion in bacon fat in skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender. Stir in flour, sugar, salt, celery seed and pepper; cook over low heat, stirring constantly until bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir water and vinegar into onion mixture, heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in potatoes and bacon, heat, stirring gently to coat potato slices until hot and bubbly. Serve warm.

I know I was hoping for rain, but enough already! Now I want warmer temperatures and sunshine, although the cool temperatures are enabling my tulips to last longer so I guess the cool temperatures aren’t all bad! The orioles haven’t shown up yet so tomorrow I have to replenish the grape jelly and oranges. Other birds help themselves, too, except for the nectar!

Yesterday I made the recipe for Sombreros El Grande for lunch and Pa Lloyd asked me if I had shared the recipe with you. It’s one I tried one time when I was looking for something different to make as I get bored making the same old thing. Since then, I make it every once in awhile. It’s fairly quick to make, we both enjoy it and it’s a meal in itself!

Author

I'm Kathy Lloyd. I grew up on a farm near Elmore, MN and have lived in Fairmont for over 44 years. I have always loved to cook, even when I was very young. I loved to stay with my Aunt Dorothy during my childhood. She was a great cook and used to give me freedom in the kitchen, teaching me along the way. She made recipes from our Norwegian heritage, along with pies, homemade doughnuts, yeast bread and cinnamon rolls.

Marrying a husband with a hearty appetite and raising 3 sons and 1 daughter gave me plenty of hungry appetites to satisfy! I worked as a nurse for 42 years and have been retired for 11 years. Even though I loved my work, I love having time to spend with my grandchildren, to experiment with new recipes and work with my flowers in the summer. Life has been very good to me, blessing me with my loving family and great friends!

I enjoy sharing my love of cooking and recipes with the readers of the Photo Press! (I have had my share of cooking failures over the years!)